


My Valentine

by QueenofFennoscandia



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Violence, Yuuri is on the run, apocalyptic future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-09-28 11:39:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10099001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofFennoscandia/pseuds/QueenofFennoscandia
Summary: This is not a Valentine’s Day fic. The world in this story is cruel and suffering, the characters in it are desperate and tired. But maybe, if you really squint your eyes enough, maybe, in a way it could be one. After all, there is a lot of red, more-or-less romantic encounters and magic in the air.--An apocalyptic Fantasy AU in which everyone seems to want Yuuri dead. Honestly, he never expects to meet someone who would want something else from him. That is, until he falls on his knees before Viktor Nikiforov.





	1. Yuuri: I

He had not meant to do it

– again.

But regardless of that, he woke soaked in a pool of blood.

Yuuri gasped for air, as he staggered up. He used his left hand to support his right shoulder that seemed to be displaced. But the radiating pain was slowly fading away, leaving behind the tingling sensation of muscles moving the bones back to their places. His skin sew itself back together and the gash in the middle of his forehead was nearly gone when Yuuri reached to wipe away the spilled blood that had messed his face with red.

Still unsure of how well his limbs would carry him, he took a tentative step forwards. Fortunately, he did not fall, so he kept walking, or more like limping along the empty path.

He had made it almost to the tree line where the forest started when he heard someone shouting behind him.

“–ntine! Hey, you!”

Yuuri glanced over his shoulder, but the scenery was fuzzy. His eyesight had been getting worse during the last three years. He wished he even had his old glasses, but it had been already some time since he lost them. It had left Yuuri feeling even more vulnerable.

The people in distance seemed nothing more than blurry faced figures.

He could hear their voices, shouting after him, offering to end it all and give him the salvation and rest. And as much Yuuri dreaded his life, he was not sure if he was ready to give them the satisfaction. He could go on a little more. A little, at least. A little seemed to be sufficient, for now. It had to be enough. So, little it was.

Turning his back to those empty faces, Yuuri straightened his posture as he felt the last bone pop to its place. Then he ran. He ran until there was no more oxygen left in his lungs, until the breathing burned, and he could hear no more shouting. When he stopped, he was deep in the woods. Even the sky could not be seen because of the overgrown tree canopy.

Yuuri sighed. He was tired, and who knew how far he had ran.

He tried to remind himself why he was doing this. Though it was just him, he was supposed to hold it together. But times like these, he had to go back to his memories and convince himself that it was worth it.

Yuuri had promised Mari to keep going. His big sister had looked into his eyes and said in a fiery determination, _“You’re not someone who goes down without a fight. That isn’t who you are, who we are. You hear me, Yuuri? We are better than that.”_

And so, he had promised to look those in the eye who tried to come after him. When they would wield their weapons, Yuuri would not look away. On this day, too, he had lifted his gaze from the ground and looked straight into someone’s eyes. It was a way of asking, _what did I ever do to you?_ It was a way of saying – accusing, _killer_.

To this day, Yuuri had looked into countless eyes that had looked back at him with a purpose of wanting him gone.

He knew that they called him rabid, and he could tell that if they caught him it would not be a quick peace. People were too curious to be merciful, they were too cruel to accept their own flaws, they were too gentle to look honestly in his eyes and admit that they could do wrong. Because, out of all of those eyes, no one had truly looked at him. They had looked over him, they had looked past him, they had looked and looked, but they never saw him. Still, they wanted to know what made him work the way he did. People were selfish, they did not want to allow him to be one of them.

Now, as he was making his way back to the city, he furiously tried to think if it was safe to go back. The city of Makka was big and crowded, but it was also capricious. As the people who were living in it, it could be cruel in the most curious ways. Yuuri had lived there for nine months. This was the first time someone had outed him there. It had almost felt too good to be true before this day, and now it had come to an end.

If he now was going to leave, he still had to go and at least get some clothes. The filthy shirt he was wearing made him look like a walking dead. Yuuri looked exactly as the people wanted to see the ones of his kind.

Yuuri was tainted in blood, he was tired of breathing – for every breath he took was stolen from the other, for the blood his skin had bathed in was from countless veins.

This time, he had killed. But to be fair, it would have been them or him.

He mostly wished that it would have been him.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuuri was almost in the city. Some of the smaller buildings started to appear, and Yuuri was starting to feel conscious of his appearance. He tried to stay in the shadows, awkwardly tugging the hem of his shirt. He decided to avoid the bigger routes and chose to move into a small alley where he could make his way to more familiar area. It might take a little longer but the safety was more important.

He was starting to calm down as he had in his head started to make a detailed plan of surviving from this. Okay, so maybe he had not gotten any further than ‘get rid of the bloody clothes’, but it was something to focus on. Step by step, he would manage.

He sensed it before he actually realized that he was being followed. But he had no chance to do anything about it, as right after getting the uncomfortable feeling, someone tried to strike him with something long. When Yuuri’s eyes adjusted to the shadows of the alley, he realized that it had been a spear. Yuuri leapt against the brick wall, and the sharp end missed him by an inch.

Instead of making the next move, the man let out a surprised sound and curiously turned to Yuuri’s direction. Yuuri glanced to his sides, trying to look for an out. Unfortunately, this man was not alone. Yuuri could count at least four other people close.

“It seems I missed,” the man said slowly.

To be honest, if Yuuri had not been who he was he would have been already impaled. The man was not surprised for nothing. The attack had been quick and it had aimed to kill.

“I guess this is the right one then,” the stranger then muttered.  

The man tilted his head, and Yuuri found that this person in his long black coat looked like a reaper. His strange silvery hair only convinced him even more. It was like standing in front of the death himself.

Yuuri leaned heavily to the wall as he looked up to the sky, it was bright blue. The day had just only started, and someone was already wishing to end it for him. It felt like this was already enough. It was too much, and he had no idea if he could run any more.

When the man went for a punch, Yuuri did not flinch away. He took a small breathe in and braced himself for the pain which came as promised. It hurt. Everything hurt. Still, he did not fall down. For some reason, his legs were still keeping him stubbornly up.

Then the man closed his hand around Yuuri’s neck, forcing him even closer against the wall, if it was possible. Yuuri let him, only wincing slightly.

“You’re already done, Viktor?” someone spoke on their left.

“I didn’t really do much,” the man still holding Yuuri, answered.

“Well makes the job easier.”

“No, Chris, you don’t get it. He just let me punch him. Did not even try to dodge it.”

“It’s not like anyone can just dodge you,” the other man sounded amused.

“He could have.”

When Yuuri looked up, he saw the sharp blue eyes staring him down. He looked away.

Suddenly, he was let go and Yuuri let himself fall to the ground. He just sat there for a second, trying to decide whether it was worth it to get up. His muscles were already protesting. Fighting against his wish to rest, he finally stood up and staggered a few steps to his right.

“What are you people waiting for?” came out a sharp shout. “Get rid of it!”

“Come on, Yuri. It’s not every day you come across one of these. I bet you’re never even seen one before.”

Disbelieving voice grunted, “I don’t care what this guy is. If it’s dangerous, it shouldn’t be even standing anymore. What are you playing at Viktor?”

“I’m not playing. He’s just really worn out, I don’t like kicking someone who is already down.”

“You said it yourself that it should die.”

The silver haired man just hummed.

“Let me see,” the same demanding voice came now from much closer.

Yuuri saw a young blonde boy staring at him. His eyes wandered to Yuuri’s clothes which reminded Yuuri of the blood on his face that had mostly dried. His hair felt still red, as did his clothes. The fabric was clinging to his bare skin. Yuuri watched the boy’s eyes widening. He looked horrified. It made Yuuri wonder, if this person had ever killed someone.

After pulling himself back together, the boy clicked his tongue and said, “Is he really a valentine? He does not look that strong.” Though, his whole body seemed to be on alert.

The man who had been the first one to talk with the reaper spoke out, “Are you sure we got the right guy?”

Yuuri felt the gaze of those blue eyes tracing his features.

“Check him, Viktor. I get the files out.”

Even with his bad eyesight he could see the man who had just talked pick up his phone.

Official records were open for everyone. Those same documents online had made Yuuri’s life very difficult. These people were not officials, though they sure knew what they were doing. Maybe a private organization.

The reaper was again in Yuuri’s space, and Yuuri let him. It felt uncomfortable when he fell back to his knees, and his arm was lifted. The man rolled the dirty sleeve down Yuuri’s arm till the upper arm was bare.

“Does he have it?” the man with the phone asked.

The person holding his arm up answered after a pause, “He got the stamp alright.”

Yuuri knew what had been uncovered. The black ink stood out on the pale skin. The big X, and next to it four numbered code tattooed in two lines.

“The number?”

“2483,” said the silver haired man.

“Katsuki Yuuri – a pure blooded valentine,” was what the files said.

Yuuri stared stubbornly at the ground.

“Yeah, that’s him,” man with the phone announced. “I know he might not look much, but he got an impressive number under his name.”

“What number?” The blonde boy asked.

“Kills.”

Yuuri was startled when the silver haired man said, “He does not look like a killer to me.” Then lowered Yuuri’s arm.

“I don’t make the statics,” the other man answered and pocketed the phone.

“Just kill him, Viktor.”

Yuuri was starting to recognize the voices even without looking up. It was the blonde boy who had spoken.

“What are you waiting for?” he continued. “There’s something strange about him.”

“…He’s terrified,” his reaper said.

“Of course I am. You’re trying to kill me.”

Yuuri lifted his head, as everyone had stopped talking. And as his sister had told him to, he looked deep into the eyes of the one who wanted him dead. But he was tired, so he did not hold the eye contact long. Trying to stay alive was not supposed to be this hard.

“He’s the killer. Look at his clothes. He smells like death.”

“I have to agree with Yuri. Viktor, you know we can’t stay here long.”

“How hard can it be?” the blonde continued. “He’s hardly the first one, nor the last.”

Yuuri sat on the ground. He was tired. What if he just gave up? It was obvious that it was what these people were after. They would let him die. They would let him go. And Yuuri, he was ready to go.

They seemed to be arguing. Well, the other two were at least, loudly, as the man so alike with a reaper, stayed still. Maybe, if it was this person, it would be fine.

Yuuri turned his attention to the man standing in front of him. Once more, just once more, he told himself.

Yuuri’s mouth felt dry when he said, “Kill me.”

There was a pause before the man standing tall said, “What?”

“Just do it. Quick, if it’s possible.”

“I don’t understand.”

Yuuri smiled, amused. Well, as amused as one can be as he’s facing his death.

“Easy and quick, please.”

“You can’t say something like that,” the man said with a baffled expression. He was frowning.

“Why? Wasn’t that what you wanted to do?”

“I don’t _want_ to kill anyone.”

His reaper seemed to be more taken aback of the conversation than Yuuri.

The question came out of nowhere, “Then why do you do it?”

“I-,“ he started, but ended up admitting, “I don’t know.”

“It’s fine,” Yuuri promised, which might be a little silly when thinking about the position he was in.

The man stared at the younger one on his knees in front of him.

Yuuri closed his eyes, and waited.

Viktor – that was his name. The man who he was giving his life to. It did not feel like a defeat, if it happened like this.

The man holding the spear helplessly in his hand was left staring at the defiant valentine.

Yuuri had been made of blood of valentines – race that for the last hundred years had been hunted down, nearly to extinct. Their genetics were thought to be something inhumane, which was a little unfair when thinking about all the existing diversity of natural powers in the world. For some reason, they were the ones who everyone pointed at and accused of being dangerous.  

To be honest, Yuuri had no idea why they were the ones targeted. Without doubt, the strength they harbored inside was strong, but clearly, they were not impossible to get rid of.  

Yuuri had been fifteen when he had stopped wondering where all the hatred came from. The day he had seen his mother’s friend Minako hitting the floor, it got too painful to try to think a reason.

This was how it was supposed to end, Yuuri had known it all along, and it was time to accept it.

The finishing blow never came.

What he heard instead, was Viktor saying, “This doesn’t feel right.”

“We’re the fucking outlaws ourselves, in no man’s land. Do you think ‘what _feels_ right’ matters? Have you ever before worried about these _feelings_ you suddenly seem to be having?” the blonde shouted. “Just cut the rabid valentine down!”

“Does he seem rabid to you?" Viktor asked.

Yuuri felt his stare.

“Why did you kill before?” The question was aimed at Yuuri.

He did what he thought he would not do again, he opened his eyes. He was faced with Viktor – his reaper who had refused to kill him.

“They tried to kill me. What was I supposed to do? Lay down and let them?”

Viktor raised his eyebrows. “I think that is exactly what you’re doing now.”

Yuuri huffed, getting frustrated. “Yeah, well, I give up. I’m done. I’m tired. I want to rest. Just let me.”

“Are you now ordering me to kill you?” Viktor seemed bemused.

“I always thought that dying would be painful, but not in this way,” Yuuti muttered, because this was just starting to feel embarrassing. Was he supposed to justify his own death?

“Er, to be honest…” Viktor said, and scratched the back of his head.

“What?” Yuuri asked exasperated.

“I don’t know what to do.”

Yuuri pursed his lips. “Put me down.”

“Eh?” Viktor sounded hesitant.

“Come on!” Yuuri complained. It was getting ridiculous.

“…I don’t want to.”

“You don’t want to kill me?” Yuuri asked in desperation.

“Not really.”

Yuuri narrowed his eyes and turned to the aggressive blonde.

“Would you mind?”

“What?” he seemed to be surprised of being talked to.

“Well this one,” Yuuri pointed at Viktor, “isn’t going to do it.”

The young man was speechless. Yuuri realized that he must have been even younger than he had assumed earlier.

Yuuri felt his face heating up.

“What is wrong with you people?!”

He was on the ground, on his knees, lowering his head, and they dared to hesitate.

The silence had fallen into the alley. Yuuri’s heavy breathing sounded loud in his own ears.

Then suddenly Yuuri was hauled up. He froze when he felt Viktor’s arm holding him. Those blue eyes looked lost but at the same time somehow determined. Yuuri tried to make any sense of the sudden turn of events. He stared Viktor, as now that he was close, Yuuri could actually focus on his face.

“Me too,” Viktor said.

“What?” was all Yuuri managed to utter.

“Me too. I’m tired,” Viktor said and looked ahead of them.

And for some strange reason, Yuuri let himself lean on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a one really long oneshot but it just kept getting longer, so I'm just going to start update it in chapters.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> [✿](http://queenoffennoscandia.tumblr.com/)


	2. Yuuri: II

Yuuri had been doubtful when this strange group of people had taken him to an unfamiliar part of the city. They had led him into a worn-out apartment complex that seemed to have been taken good care of. Soon enough, Yuuri was left alone with Viktor. The man showed the way, Yuuri did not know where. For all he knew, they were going to put him into some kind of a holding cell, or something.

But instead, Viktor ushered Yuuri into a very mundane looking room. It was painted all white, and it was sparingly decorated: a single bed against the wall, next to it a small table, a decent sized window with light brown cotton curtains.

Yuuri startled when Viktor spoke.

“There’s a shower in the bathroom.” He waved his hand to the direction of another door in the room.

Yuuri nodded, but it took a moment for him to realize what the other was trying to say. Yuuri had been most likely messing the floor just by walking through the building. His clothes felt disgusting on him. He got the sudden urge to get them off.

He started by kicking his shoes off. When his socks came of Yuuri tightened them in his fist without thinking, and the blood started to drip out. They were absolutely soaked. Yuuri felt the sudden nausea hit him when he felt the liquid between his fingers.

“What’s wrong?” Viktor asked, when Yuuri let out an incoherent sound.

Yuuri frowned. “Sorry. I’m not good with blood.”

Viktor looked thunderstruck. And for a second, Yuuri thought that Viktor might laugh, call him ridiculous.

Instead he said quietly, “Neither am I.”

Yuuri nodded and returned to his clothes. He placed the socks into the shoes. He was not waiting forward to wearing those again.

Yuuri looked down at his shirt and stated, “I need to wash my clothes.”

Viktor waived him off. “Just throw them into the hamper. It’s in the bathroom.”

Without a second thought, Yuuri made his way to the room just mentioned, eager to take a shower. He closed the door behind him, and removed each piece of clothes one by one. He looked at his arms. They were covered in red sticky substance. Yuuri tried to let himself forget what it was.

No matter how he looked at the removed clothes – they were ruined. Instead of throwing them to where some dirty laundry already seemed to placed, he made a bundle of the clothes and left them on the floor. He hoped that these people would lend him something.

The hot water felt heavenly as it washed over his skin and removed the red. He used the shampoo he found next to the shower, and after he was done he just took his time standing in the warmth.

No idea of what he was doing, Yuuri stared at the mint colored ceramic tiles on the wall. He had lived. The frustration from before was gone, the last bits of it had washed away along with the water. Who was this person he had become? Had he actually asked someone to end him? It was not the first time of thinking it, no, but to actually say it aloud… He was really losing it.

That was when he heard someone knocking the door.

“What is it?” he asked over the sound of running water.

“I have clothes for you,” Viktor called.

Yuuri had not dried himself when he walked to the door. Feeling self-conscious, he cracked the door slightly open and peeked out of the room.

He was faced with Viktor who stood there, holding a pile of clothes. The man had removed his black coat and was now wearing a midnight blue sweater which sleeves had been rolled up. There was something earnest in him, and Yuuri could not bring himself of being afraid of this person.

Yuuri smiled shyly and was ready to take the pile, but Viktor did not make a move to hand them over. The man had a strange expression upon his face.

The valentine froze in his place when he felt a hand brush his wet hair back, exposing his face fully. The touch was gentle, and to be honest, it was the last thing Yuuri had been expecting to get from people these days. It felt intimate, and confusing.

“Er…?” Yuuri blinked.

Viktor snapped out of it, and pulled his hand away – fast, like it had burned it. The man coerced his expression from the shocked into something much more controlled. It could have fooled almost anyone, but Yuuri could see the arm hanging on the side. The hand kept twitching like he was still imagining the feeling under his fingers.

“Oops!” Viktor said lightly, and smiled. 

Yuuri offered a small smile, too.

 _A strange person_ , he thought.

“You’re going to catch a cold,” Viktor started suddenly usher. “Here you go,” he pushed the clothes into Yuuri’s arms.

Yuuri blinked in confusion, but took them without a word. He felt his skin itching under the gaze of Viktor.

“I’ll go now,” Yuuri muttered.

When he closed the door, he leaned to it, holding the clothes close to his chest. It had been awhile since anyone had touched him like that, he realized. Nervously, he swiped his own hand over where Viktor’s hand had been.

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

When Yuuri came out of the bathroom he thought that the room was empty. Then he saw Viktor sitting on the bed and casually leaning against the wall.

“You look better without...all the red,” Viktor said, and the corner of his mouth lifted.

Yuuri cracked a smile.

“Thank you for these,” Yuuri pointed at the clothes he was wearing. “They're warm.” _And Soft. And comfortable. And better quality than anything I’ve worn during the last decade_. He did not say the last three observations aloud.

Viktor smiled crookedly. He seemed to be somewhat amused, and Yuuri was not sure what to make of it.  

“You don’t have to stand.”

Yuuri blinked, not sure what Viktor meant by that, until the other patted the bed he was sitting on.

Carefully, Yuuri approached the bed and sat down on the other side of it, leaving some distance between the two of them. It felt like an appropriate thing to do. Viktor stared at the empty space between them as if it was puzzling him.

Yuuri sank into the mattress, or that was how it at least felt after the draining start of the day. It was messed up how just an hour and half ago the other of the two could have been killed by the other. If it had been so, Yuuri might as well be lying somewhere in the gutter, but instead he had someone brining him clean clothes. But the world was messed up –  messed up enough for these two strangers to be sitting on the same bed while wondering how differently the day could have ended.

“Is it okay for me to be here?” Yuuri could not stop himself from asking. He had been wondering ever since he had stepped into the building.

He felt Viktor turning on the bed, but Yuuri kept staring at his own hands.

“How’s so?”

“Well, most of you seemed to be pretty determined to…” he trailed off.

“To what?” Viktor asked innocently.

“You know,” Yuuri looked sternly at the other man who must have been thinking he was being funny.

Viktor hummed. “You’re thinking of Yuri?”

Yuuri blinked at the familiar name. Viktor clearly was not talking about him, though.

“What?”

“Yuri, the kid with blonde hair.”

_Ah._

“Well, him, too.”

Viktor stared at the opposite wall.

“You scared him when you asked him to kill you.”

Yuuri tilted his head so that he could observe the other man. He did not seem like an over-worldly character anymore. He was not something unreachable. No, on the opposite, if Yuuri reached for a bit he could even poke Viktor’s arm. It was a little tempting, but Yuuri held himself back.

“I know he talks harshly but,” Viktor shook his head, “he’s still a kid.”

Yuuri had to point out, “But he was the one who kept coaxing you to kill me.”

“That’s the world he has been led into. It’s what he knows. But he can tell if something’s not right. I think that might be why you freaked him out so much. He was panicking. He is probably sulking somewhere in the building, embarrassed of his behavior.” Viktor smiled slightly at the image.

Yuuri looked away when Viktor shifted to scrutinize him. He was embarrassed of being caught staring.

“I think this might have been a good experience to have him go through.”

Yuuri hummed thoughtfully. He was not sure if he appreciated of being called an ‘experience’.

Viktor continued, “Everything’s not black and white. This makes him see the opponent differently the next time someone’s life is in his hands.”

Yuuri brushed his hand against the bedsheets. They felt nice under his fingertips. This place was like from another world. Everything was so soft. Maybe he had died, after all.

“What were you thinking?” Yuuri could not help asking.

“Huh?” Viktor looked confused.

Yuuri bit his lower lip and shook his head. “I don’t get it why you brought me here. It would have made much more sense to leave me somewhere, if you did not care to get rid of me.”

Viktor stayed silent, and Yuuri almost thought that he was not going to answer at all.

Then Viktor finally spoke, “It’s stranger, isn’t it?”

“What?” Yuuri asked.

“We have to justify why we want to stay alive, why we want to keep someone alive. But when someone’s killed, no questions are asked.”

“That’s reality,” Yuuri murmured.

“But it’s strange.”

“Of course it’s strange,” Yuuri smiled tiredly. “There are too many people who thinks that they’re important, that their journey has some meaning in this world. Though, our life is not a story, we’re not the main characters. No one seems to realize that, they only see themselves. That’s why the world is such a mess. The thing is, there’s no journey, there’s no right path. It’s a fucking mess. We’re a mess. I’m a mess.” Yuuri smiled at Viktor. “You’re a mess.”

Viktor grinned, though the smile did not quite reach the eyes. “I’m not a mess.”

“I wonder,” Yuuri tilted his head and chuckled slightly.

Viktor opened his mouth, but managed to say nothing, as his phone alerted for a new message.

“Chris wants me in the kitchen,” Viktor commented.

Yuuri had no idea who Chris was, but he nodded and waited Viktor to get up. He did, but instead of right away walking out of the room, he stayed in front of Yuuri.

“You should eat something.”

Yuuri could not remember the last time he had eaten, but he definitely did not feel like swallowing a thing.

“I’m good,” he answered.

Viktor shook his head. “You got to eat, come on.”

Yuuri sent him a withering look, before getting up. His joints felt stiff, and he wished he could lay down, but instead he followed Viktor who left the room.

“I see you brought the valentine,” the one who had checked his files before said when they entered the dining area. This man must have been Chris. He had just finished cutting some fruits and placed the knife next to the sink.

Viktor complained, “He’s going to starve himself otherwise.”

“So he _does_ have suicidal tendencies,” Chris said with a small smile. He still seemed wary of Yuuri.

Yuuri did not blame him, he himself was wary of these people, too. He decided to ignore the comment, and sit down to the chair that was the furthest from the window.

He heard someone walking in the corridor, and soon two people entered the room. It was the blonde kid – Yuri, and just behind him a red-haired woman. Yuuri could not tell whether she had been earlier in the alley, he had been a little…occupied.

“Who’s the kid?” she asked. She did not look much older than him. On the contrary, she was probably younger than Yuuri himself.

“Yuuri,” Viktor said. He put down an apple in front of Yuuri, who had sat down at the table.

“Yuuri?” the blonde kid repeated, his eyes narrowing.

“The valentine,” Chris said, shortly.

“That,” Yuri pointed at Yuuri, “is the valentine?” He looked doubtful.

“Yeah.” Viktor smiled. “He cleaned up well, huh?”

Yuri frowned. “He doesn’t look that impressive in your sweater and without all the blood.”

Yuuri glanced at his a-size-too big clothes. So they were Viktor’s. 

Viktor leaned on the table, next to Yuuri. He smirked, “I thought you said he looked weak, before.”

Yuri pursed his lips. “He did. Now he just looks even more like a wimp.” He clearly was not telling the whole truth. His eyes on Yuuri, he circled the table before sitting down on the windowsill.

“I did not get to get a good look at him earlier,” the red-head said. She sat on to the edge of the table.

 _So she had been there_ , Yuuri thought.

“There’s not really much to look at…” Yuuri muttered.

There was a moment when no one said a thing.

“He’s weird,” Yuri commented.

“Well we have to remember that he literally wanted us to kill him,” Chris said, while sipping something what was in his cup, probably coffee – or maybe something a little stronger. One should not exclude the latter option, not after witnessing the way he scrunched his nose after one large gulp.

“You can’t let go of that, huh?” Yuuri said to no one.

Something fiery passed in the eyes of the blonde kid. He clicked his tongue, and turned to look out of the window.

Yuuri furrowed his eyebrows. It was not really these people’s business whether he might have felt and done. He picked the apple from the table and examined it. It was bright red and probably juicy. Still, something about it did not felt appetizing.

“I’ve always wondered,” the woman started to speak. He kind of wished they had offered her name to him.

“Huh?” Viktor tilted his head.

“Why do they call them valentines?” she continued.

Yuuri lifted his gaze from the fruit.

“What do you mean?” Chris asked. He was leaning on the kitchen counter with a relaxed posture, though his eyes were on the alert.

“Well, I get it that they’re mostly originated from the same tribe, and I know something about the physical abilities of them – endurance, stamina, recovering…, but why exactly are they called valentines? What does it mean? There are a lot of nicknames for the different ethnic groups. Is this a one, too?”

Yuuri averted everyone’s eyes. He did know why they were called that way, and it definitely was not something _they_ had agreed on. It was a crude way to call anyone, and he wanted to (almost) strangle anyone who thought it was ‘strangely poetic’. It was an unfairly leading definition of nature of a group of people.

It was Chris who spoke. He seemed to be hesitant with the choice of his words. “It’s because of all the...red.”

“…Red?” asked Yuri, who did not seem to get it.

Yuuri had to admit that the name was a little farfetched. The person who had come up with it had probably a terrible sense of humor.

Chris lowered his cup on the table. “There was a lover’s holiday called the Valentine’s day.”

“A what?” Yuri tilted his head.

“You haven’t live long enough to remember,” Chris smiled sadly.

“Neither have you,” Viktor reminded. “If I remember right, it has not been celebrated for centuries.”

“You’re correct, but my parents liked to tell me the stories.” There was something gentle in Chris’ eyes. “They thought it was romantic – all the little ways of showing someone that you cared for them. The flowers, cards, chocolate, music, films…and the silly effort of different companies to have their share of the day and decorate everything bright red. Practically everything was colored red.”

“Red,” Yuri repeated.

“Red,” Yuuri verified. He put the apple back to the table. The color of it was mocking him.

“How morbid,” Mila said.

Chris nodded.

“How stupid,” Yuri muttered and jumped off the sill. “So it basically means that they’re killers.”

Yuuri felt his lips tightening together. Usually, he was good at ignoring comments like these. But to be fair, Yuuri had not really been acting like himself for the last 24 hours.

He stood up, startling everyone, and made his way to the kitchen counter. There, he picked a knife from the counter. He walked straight to Yuri, holding it. His eyes were sharp, when he faced the younger man.

“I have a knife,” Yuuri stated.

Yuri looked alarmed.

Yuuri carefully took a hold of the blade of it, and turned the object so that the handle was pointed at Yuri’s direction. “I’m giving it to you.”

The blonde stood there, confused.

“Take it!” Yuuri ordered.

Yuri did, hesitantly so.

The valentine lowered his own hands.

“Now,” Yuuri stared right into the eye of the other as he shifted closer so that the sharp tip almost touched him. “Are you going to use it?”

The boy stood there frozen, a knife in his hand.  

“No, of course not! Why would I?” he finally spluttered, eyes wide.

“Exactly.” Yuuri took a step back, before turning away and leaving the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fast update. I'm actually impressed with myself.
> 
> This world is pretty much a mixture of a today's world, what this world could be in the future, and something completely else. I'm not going to start make any new technical inventions because it's not really point of this story. Like the phones...they're just normal 2017's phones. Still, the plot kind of hints that the world of 21st century had existed before (the valentine's day).
> 
> I actually ended up writing more background stuff for the future chapters than I had intended to, which pretty much tries to explain how this fic's world is in the way it is. It includes the natural disasters, humankind's own choices and so on. This AU is not really any kind of prediction of the happenings of the future, so I hope no one minds when I'm going to start write how some real countries are fucked up with their current situations in this fic. I'm not even explaining where the city of Makka (heh) would be placed in an actual world map. I just digged myself into a hole by wanting to have an apocalyptic background to the story, and now I have to make some shit up. This story pretty much demanded to not to be a oneshot that it was supposed to be.
> 
>  


	3. Yuuri: III

He could not sleep. Not that it was something new.

When Yuuri had gotten enough of staring the ceiling, he got up and made his way through the dark and empty corridor. Not knowing the building well, he walked in the only familiar direction, so kitchen it was.

He stopped in front of the already open door.

There sat Viktor. The room was dark, but the street lights were forcing through the window the yellowish glow in, creating the silhouette of a man. Yuuri observed his side profile.

“What are you standing there?”

Yuuri smiled slightly as he walked into the room. He leaned on the kitchen counter, facing Viktor.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey.”

They shared the silence.

“Don’t be mad at Yuri,” Viktor said.

“I’m not.”

Viktor did not look convinced. His mouth formed a thin line.

Yuuri shook his head. “I’m a good experience for him.”

The other seemed to be a little lost with his words. “I did not mean it like that, before.”

“I know,” but Yuuri had meant it like that. “But I guess, it’s still true.”

When a car passed their building, somehow an orange light reflected into the room and colored Viktor’s face for a short moment. Yuuri was fascinated.

“You were really pissed off.”

“Not really. It’s not the worst I’ve heard.” Yuuri smiled tiredly. “I just thought what you said, so I taught him. It’s his own choice what he decided to do with it.”

“Thank you.”

Yuuri shrugged. He had not expected a thank you, but he was glad that no one apparently had taken the earlier as a threat. That would be the last thing he needed.

“…Would you sit down with me?” Viktor asked.

Yuuri pushed himself away from the counter and sat down on the empty chair, still facing Viktor, but now much closer. It made him feel a little self-conscious, as he could actually distinct features of his face from this distance – the shape of his nose, the curve of his lips.

“I shouldn’t stay here,” Yuuri said, finally. It was all that he had been thinking for the last four hours. He was probably going to keep repeating it until someone agreed with him.

Viktor frowned, and turned to look out of the window.

“What were you planning on doing then? After you leave?” Something in the voice of his sounded cranky.

“Same what always, try to stay low, I’ll figure something out.”

“And the next time someone wants your head – are you just going to kneel in front of them and close your eyes?” Viktor was leaning back, his arms crossed.

“I don’t have the habit of lowering my head to anyone, _Viktor_.” Yuuri used his name for the first time aloud.

“But you-!” Viktor started with a frustrated voice.

“I already told you, it was a moment of weakness,” Yuuri muttered. “And I wouldn’t have done that for just anyone.”

Viktor scrunched his nose. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I just thought that maybe it would be fine if it was you,” Yuuri said before thinking it through.

Viktor looked taken aback.

“I don’t even know why.” Yuuri shook his head. “I just was so tired and then you were there, and you looked like you had come to get me. And for some reason I was fine with it. If it was you…” Yuuri struggled to continue.

“So, you’re not going to get yourself killed?”

“I told you, I gave my life to _you_. You did not want it, and that is fine.”

“You don’t just give your life to someone! But if you were that desperate to hand it over, I’ll take it. The thing is, I want you to stay alive. If you’re dead, there’s nothing left. I don’t believe in god, Yuuri, that’s why for me there’s no after.”

Yuuri had never truly thought about _the after_ , what he had wanted was everything to end.

“Then, I guess, it’s still yours,” he said, feeling absent-minded.

“Then, you can’t die,” Viktor said. He sounded somewhat satisfied with his stern voice.

“I don’t want your pity. Just because you feel sorry for a va-“

“No, no, no, no. It’s mine now, I’m not giving it back.”

“Whatever,” Yuuri sighed, resigned. “I wasn’t going to die anytime soon, anyway.”

“Good.”

“No, it’s not. There have been enough lives wasted away because of me.”

Yuuri folded his hands just to do something with his hands. He had chosen to ignore the blood under his fingernails as he rather tried to distract himself by staring at the worn-out table in front of him. He stopped himself from touching the deep scratches on the surface table when Viktor spoke.

“I don’t get it?”

Yuuri looked up. “What?”

“How can you be so gentle?”

Yuuri could not believe what Viktor had just said. He must have heard wrong. Maybe he should just ignore the imaginary comment that the other obviously did not just say.

“I have met countless of different kinds of people, frustrated and angry, driven to the deep end of the despair. But you, you are something else, from the first words you spoke to me.”

Yuuri shook his head. “You have no idea how many people’s blood I have in my hands.”

Viktor took Yuuri’s hands that were grasped together tightly, and laid them on the table, palms upwards. He brushed his fingers along the lines of the palms.

“I see no blood,” Viktor said.

“You’re not looking close enough.”

“Oh I’m looking.”

Yuuri felt his heart rate quickening. He hoped Viktor did not notice. He stared at their linked hands, feeling nervous. If he could just tell what this person was thinking.

Surprisingly, it was something else that made Yuuri’s shoulders tense. He tilted his head slightly in the direction of the window, and stayed quiet. Something was coming.

Yuuri got up, moved to Viktor’s side, pulling the other up, and hosted him away from the soon happening destruction.

A second after Yuuri had Viktor pulled close to him, the part of the wall where the window had been, burst wide open. The glass shattered on the floor, and the pieces of wall fell around the room, leaving cloud of dust in the air.

Yuuri felt Viktor breathing heavily next to him, as he leaned closely to Yuuri. Yuuri still had his arm around Viktor.

“How did you?” Viktor forced his eyes away from the mess in front of them. He sounded breathless.

“A valentine,” Yuuri reminded him.

Viktor nodded. “Right. Thank you.” He seemed to gather himself together fast, as Viktor head was turned to the direction of the now open wall.

“Pick me up,” he said suddenly.

And without letting himself think twice, Yuuri lifted Viktor who practically threw himself at Yuuri.

“Help me a bit,” Viktor said.

Yuuri realized what Viktor needed, and he hoisted the man up and rotated them around. Viktor got the momentum he needed to kick someone who tried to get into the building straight into the face. A sound of something cracking came as a result of a shoe sole contacting the intruder.

All Yuuri saw, was a glimpse of someone falling backwards from the three-floor building.

Viktor was smiling brightly. He had both of his arms around Yuuri’s neck.

That was when a group of people stalked to the kitchen.

“What the hell was that noise?” Mila voiced her concern. Her eyes widened, as did everyone else’s, as she saw the sight that used to be their kitchen.

“What happened to the kitchen?” someone whose name Yuuri did not know say. It was a man, maybe about Viktor’s age, who had unique pointy hairstyle.

“Intruders,” Viktor said shortly.

“Don’t they have the decency of not attacking in the middle of the night?” Chris muttered darkly. He was only in his underwear, though, he had a long morning robe of some short on him.

“It’s fucking freezing and now we can’t even close the window.”

Chris was definitely not a morning person, Yuuri could tell.

“What are you two doing?” Yuri asked. He looked put-off.

“What do you mean?” Viktor asked.

“Viktor get off him,” the boy muttered. “You’re embarrassing.”

Yuuri flushed, when he realized that he was still holding Viktor. His other hand was behind Viktor’s back, as the other arm was under Viktor’s knees.

“Oh,” Yuuri said surprised. He started to lower Viktor reluctantly down.

Viktor sighed, “Fine.” When he was on his feet, he smiled at Yuuri’s direction.

Yuuri offered a shy smile, but when Yuri moved to examine the hole he observed the boy move.

“Um, you should…” Yuuri tried to get his attention.

“What?” the teenager asked with a frown.

“I think you should move,” Yuuri offered.

But Yuri did not move away, he just stared at Yuuri like the other was an idiot.

Yuuri sighed, and pulled Yuri into his chest and away from the wall that had still remained. Just after they had stepped back the wall exploded. Yuuri felt Yuri tense under his touch, as he stared at the wall that had disappeared in front of his eyes.

“I guess I was nothing special, after all,” Viktor commented on the other side of the room. There might have been something envious in his voice.

Yuri flushed, from embarrassment? Anger? Who knew.

“Let go, you creep,” he muttered, and when Yuuri decided it was safe, he did.

Yuri practically growled at Yuuri as he moved away.

Chris threw Viktor something, saying, “Here you go.”

Viktor caught the spear in air.

Then Chris said to Yuuri, “Um, do you need anything?”

He was probably talking about weapons.

“I think I manage without,” Yuuri said honestly.

Viktor looked giddy, eyes bright and excited.

“I like men who are good with their hands,” he commented.

“Ugh, Viktor,” Yuri grumbled. “We don’t need to hear what kind of kinky shit you’re into.”

Yuuri glanced at Viktor, “Can I borrow that for a sec?”

Before Viktor managed to answer, Yuuri had taken the spear the other had been holding, and stabbed it through the person who had tried to climb through the ruined wall.

“I thought you didn’t need a weapon,” Chris commented, after recovering from the surprise.

“Well, not really, I just did not want to make a mess,” Yuuri said.

Then he finally noticed that he had stabbed it straight through the face.

“Oh god,” Yuuri groaned.

It was a horrifying sight.

“You were the one who did it,” Yuri commented on his left. The young boy looked a little shaken.

“But I was aiming at the stomach,” Yuuri said. The idea of pulling the weapon out sickened him.

“You clearly missed. Your aim sucks,” Yuri said.

“I couldn’t see,” Yuuri sighed.

Viktor was suddenly in his space. “Something’s wrong with your eyes?”

Yuuri tried to defend himself, “Well he was a little far away.”

“He wasn’t that far away,” Viktor argued.

“Sorry, I can’t see.”

Viktor’s eyes narrowed. He looked serious.

“Is there something wrong with your eyes? Did you hurt them?” he demanded to know.

“No, nothing like that! I’m just nearsighted,” Yuuri admitted, his cheeks heating slightly. He had not planned on saying it.

Viktor paused. “You have bad eyesight,” he stated.

Yuuri nodded. “I need glasses.”

Amused and somewhat fond expression had emerged on Viktor’s face when he said, “Of course you need glasses.”

“The valentine is nearsighted…” Yuri looked like his whole world had been revealed to be a lie.

“Well, we all can’t have perfect vision,” Yuuri muttered awkwardly. He hated when people knew his weaknesses. This was one of the most obvious ones.

Viktor turned to look at the spear. “Are you going to give me that back?”

“Sure. I just…” Yuuri stared at the messed-up head where the weapon had sunken into. He wanted to puke.

“Oh right, not good with blood,” Viktor said and moved to take hold of the end of the weapon.

Yuuri let go of it reluctantly. “But neither are you.”

Viktor winked. “I’ll manage.” And pulled the spear out with one yank.

Yuuri winced at the sight. He was glad that he had not eaten anything.

He could hear Yuri’s voice repeating the words, “Not good with blood.”

Yuuri stared at Viktor wiping the weapon into a rag on the floor that once had been a part of the curtains. Viktor was focused on Yuuri through the task. The valentine was not sure what to do with the attention.

“That was a nice shot,” Viktor commented.

Yuuri just shrugged, but he could not help thinking that it was a kind nice to be praised.

A corner of Viktor’s mouth twitched up.

“Viktor, stop acting weird. It gives me hives,” Yuri complained.

“Oh hush, kids should not bother adults.”

“A kid?! That valentine can’t be much older than me,” Yuri snarled.

“I’m 23,” Yuuri said.

Viktor smiled easily. “You see, nice and legal.”

Yuri looked horrified.

Even Chris offered a withering look this time. “I know this clearly is a conversation we can’t have any other time, but I’d just liked to remind that there are approximately twenty officials looking pretty determined to get into this building.”

“Exactly,” Mila said. “Pick what you need, we’re evacuating the base – now! I’ll go with Georgi and inform the rest. Move, people, move.”

“Where’re you going?” Yuuri asked in confusion.

“ _We_ ,” Viktor emphasized and wrapped his left hand around Yuuri’s shoulders, “are going to move to another base.”

“Another?”

“What did you think? Of course there’s an another one, we’re professionals after all.”

“In what exactly are you professional?” Yuuri asked as Viktor guided him out of the wrecked room.

Viktor smiled widely. “Don’t you think that question can wait for a little longer?”

And as they heard a loud crack of a wall coming down behind them, Yuuri nodded furiously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little more action.  
> Thanks for reading, liking, commenting.
> 
>  


	4. Yuuri: IV

When they arrived to their destination, Yuuri took off the coat that Viktor had almost forced on him. He had argued that he had no need for it, but it seemed that he was fated to lose every argument he had with this person. Even regardless of Yuuri being hesitant of whether he should go with them, in the end, Viktor had given him no choice. How could someone be so stubborn, went over Yuuri’s head. There had been no room for different opinions. Well…and there had been a lot of running and shouting, so it seemed to be the best option to follow these people, anyway.

The escape had gone better than everyone had expected. Yuuri had moved alongside Viktor, knocking out carefully anyone who had gotten in their way. He managed to avoid any more blood spilling, thankfully. There had not been casualties on their side. All in all, it had been a successful night, according to Mila, that was.

Even Chris seemed to be in good mood when he entered to the building after Yuuri.

Yuuri startled when the man passed him in the corridor.

“Did he just slap my ass?” Yuuri asked from Viktor.

Viktor smiled slightly, “Don’t worry, Chris does that to everyone.”

“I don’t know if that makes me feel any better.” Yuuri used his hand to try to rub the stinging pain away. He stopped and said slowly, “Viktor.”

“Hmm?” he answered.

“Eyes up here,” Yuuri waived his hand.

Viktor had been shamelessly staring. He clicked his tongue, not seeming to be even a little bit ashamed.

“You weren’t being subtle,” Yuuri raised his eyebrows.

“I wasn’t trying to.”

Yuuri was left standing there when Viktor strolled away, whistling.

“Move!” Yuri shouted behind him. “You’re blocking the way.

Yuuri let out a resigned sigh.

What was he doing there with these people?

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuuri had greeted maybe four more people who had escaped with them. He had tried, at least. All of them seemed wary of him, and again, he was not judging. When Yuuri walked away from them he could hear them talking behind him. He hated himself for getting depressed because of things like these. He should have already grown a thicker skin.

“That’s the valentine,” one of them said.

“I saw him when they brought him in to the other house. He was covered in blood. Don’t let the appearance fool you,” someone commented.

“It’s a monster.”

“A monster,” the other agreed.

Yuuri let the conversation continue, when he heard the loud voice of the young blonde boy.

“You’re in my way. Go talk shit in somewhere where everyone doesn’t have to watch you bitching.”

Yuuri peaked over his shoulder, his eyebrows raised.

What he saw, was the three man and one woman scooting on the sides so that the blonde could get past them. When one of their eyes met with Yuuri, Yuuri did not look away. He kept their eyes locked until the other person turned away to leave the room, the other three followed her.

Yuuri shifted his attention to Yuri who had his attention on the kitchen cabinets. He kept opening the doors one by one, searching for something. He let out frustrated huffs.

Yuuri let his curiosity win, and he approached the younger man. He tilted his head to see what the boy was staring at intensely. Yuri was focused on the canned foods at the end of the shelf.

“Is there nothing else than crap here?” Yuri muttered.

“Well, you could always just throw something together,” Yuuri ended up suggesting.

Yuri turned to look at the other who had been standing behind him. His lips were pursed when he admitted, “I don’t really cook.”

Yuuri’s mouth twitched upwards.

“Okay,” Yuuri decided, “What else do you have in the kitchen?”

Yuri kept scrutinizing the man who had very similar name to his.

“What’s your name again?” the boy asked, sharply.

“Yuuri,” he said, “It’s pretty much same as yours.”

The blonde boy clicked his tongue. “How annoying.”

Yuuri shrugged, not really knowing what the other wanted him to say. “My last name is Katsuki, if that’s better.”

Yuri seemed to ignore it completely as he said, “You, come here.”

Yuuri followed the boy to the fridge. He stared at the content when it was opened.

“There’s not much,” Yuri said. “We were supposed to stay at the other house at least the rest of the week.”

Yuuri hummed as he scanned through the selection.

“Well, you have some potatoes.”

“What can you do with potatoes?” Yuri scrunched his nose.

“You want me to show you?” Yuuri challenged.

After a second, Yuri said, “If you _want_ to make something, I’m not stopping you.”

“How could I say no to such a compelling offer,” Yuuri said while trying not to smile. “Where are the pans and pots?”

Yuri was actually being helpful by taking out the useful utensils. They boy must have been really hungry. He kept hovering besides Yuuri as the other did what he could with what they had.

In the end, Yuuri said, “If you have nothing better to do, cut these.”

Yuri muttered something under his breath with a language Yuuri could not understand, but he did start to slice the carrots.

“Is this fine?” Yuri said while looking concentrated.

“Hmm?” Yuuri shifted his attention from his mission to find the right spices from the cabinets. It took a while because half of the spice jars had the names of the content in different languages. It was nothing new in the cities like Makka, where the population was a mix of many ethnicities and cultures.

“Make them a little bit smaller,” Yuuri instructed.

Surprisingly the boy did what Yuuri said without complains.

After a moment of working side by side, Yuri muttered, “They call me Yurio sometimes.”

Yuuri was surprised by the sudden comment, but he ended up testing it, “Yurio, huh?”

“It’s not like I like to be called it. It’s not a nickname or anything, I wouldn’t let anyone make me a nickname, but Mila use it sometimes, whatever.”

Yuuri nodded his head slowly. At first sight, the other seemed to be someone who said everything straight without beating around the bush, but maybe Yuuri had gotten it all wrong. He was a child, a stubborn one, but still, a child.

Yuuri reached for the can of black beans and tomatoes, when Yurio stopped Yuuri’s hand with his own.

His eyes were intense when he said, “I don’t like black beans.”

Yuuri’s eyebrows rose.

“We can skip the beans, but I’m going to use the tomatoes.”

Yurio sighed, “fine,” and removed his own hand and started to cut the carrots again.

When the food was ready, Yurio stared at the finished product intensely.

“You know, if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t poison you,” Yuuri could not help commenting.

Something flashed on Yurio’s face like he had actually been considering about it. Then he started to shovel the food into his mouth.

“Do they ever feed you?” Yuuri asked.

Yurio sneered and continued eating.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Yuuri had hurried away from the stream of people that had started to flow into the kitchen after the promise about food had started to get around. He found a quiet staircase at the east side of the house. There was a big window, and Yuuri had stopped in front of it, staring at the scenery of never ending rows of dusty buildings.

“You made us food.”

Yuuri did not turn around, but he recognized Viktor’s voice.

“Yurio was hungry.”

Viktor paused, before saying, “…Yurio.”

“He’s really bad with his words, isn’t he?” Yuuri could not help a smile slipping on his face. He was already starting to feel fond of the boy and he had no idea why. The kid was rude and not cute at all.

“He actually said that it was okay to call him that?”

“Maybe,” Yuuri said, still staring out. “Who knows.”

When Viktor said nothing more, Yuuri turned around. Viktor was leaning on the opposite wall, his hands crossed. He looked thoughtful, but it was difficult to tell what he was thinking.

“It was good, the food.”

Yuuri bowed his head down, and said with a quiet voice, “I just threw something together.”

“You really aren’t making it easy to thank you,” Viktor muttered.

Yuuri shrugged and turned back to the window. He did not expected Viktor following the example, but soon the other stood next to him, two steps up, and stared outside, too.

“Where did you learn?”

“You just learn when you live alone,” Yuuri chuckled.

“You have to learn all kind of things,” Viktor agreed.

Yuuri gingerly observed the profile of the other man. He stood tall, even without the extra stairs between them.

“I didn’t really use to trust anyone when I was a kid,” Viktor commented.

“And now you do?” Yuuri tried to clarify.

“Sometimes I wonder about that,” Viktor admitted.

 They stood wordlessly side by side.

“I knew this was a bad idea.”

“What do you mean?” Viktor asked while frowning.

“They don’t want me here.”

“Who?”

“Just some of your people,” Yuuri sighed.

“Cut them some slag. Some of them saw the aftermath of your fighting scene, the rest of them has heard very vivid descriptions of the happenings. They’re ignorant.”

He knew that all very well.

“It doesn’t make me feel any better,” Yuuri admitted.

“It’s not every day you meet someone who cannot be killed,” Viktor mused.

Yuuri tightened his lips together.

 “Of course, I can be killed.” He had seen it before his own eyes.

“What about those people, earlier?”

“They clearly weren’t trying to hard enough,” Yuuri huffed.

“You looked like you had swam in a pool of blood, and I bet half of it was your own.”

Yuuri locked their eyes and stated bluntly, “And the half of it was theirs.”

Viktor kept the eye contact. “You looked like you were a second away from passing out.”

“Well, you should have seen the other guys,” Yuuri muttered.

“I did…see them.”

Yuuri kept his head high when he asked, “Does that scare you, Viktor?”

He did not answer. Yuuri nodded slowly.

“It was disgusting, wasn’t it,” Yuuri said. “But the things they said and wanted to…”

“I’m not here to make you feel guilty, nor to make you have to defend yourself.”

“Neither am I here seeking compassion.” It was nothing new.

Then Yuuri wiped the blank look from his face and replaced it with a smirk. “So, we have solved what I am. Would you mind telling me about you people? Who on earth is Viktor Nikiforov? That’s what they call you, right?”

Viktor smiled downwards. Yuuri moved his attention back to the empty streets.

“We are still trying to define who we are in this world. I guess, most of our families are originally from the former Russia. There’s where our roots might be, but after what happened 80 years ago, I don’t think anyone has stepped on the soil of that area.” His voice was stable when he talked.

Yuuri nodded.

Everyone had heard about the major earthquake that had practically divided the enormous country in half in the change of the century. Along it, numerous disasters followed. For example, four still running and two already closed nuclear reactors soiled the land, the air – everything. It had affected many countries, especially the ones close. The countries of the North Europe, that had managed during those last ten years to put effort in organizing working society for both native citizens but also for the immigrants, suffered greatly. It was not an unique phenomenon, just one of many sad stories, different continents had their own sources of miseries.

Those that had ones been the success stories, crumbled down in one night. No one saw it coming at all. The image achieving an egalitarian society where the togetherness could exceed over one’s origins did not seem important under the fear of dying. Countries that ones were rich, were now in ashes. One would think that once the disasters came, the world would get together, trying to overcome the misery.

What many had thought, had been wrong. The world was more divided than ever.

The borders of countries had slowly started to vanish, far before the Russian incident. People started to realize that everything cannot be controlled and expected. Where there once had been a flourished capital, now there might as well only be left rocks that had started to crumble into the poisonous ocean. Who once had the power, were suddenly dying. The world was a war between the natural powers and powers that humans tried to create.

But these were only stories. Who knew what was really true. The thing about the truth and history was that anyone can write what they like. There was no objective history, there never was, and in this corrupted selfish era – everyone lied.

If there ever had been a hypothesis about the apocalyptic scenarios of what the centuries ahead could bring, this might as well have been the worst-case scenario. Or who knows, maybe they had been lucky.

The Russian incident was probably something very distant to Viktor, but in a way, it was a reminder for the whole world. It was the same for Yuuri. Who knows where his own family had originated. Maybe he once had known, but now he had completely forgotten. It had not mattered, or maybe it had, but staying alive had mattered more.

“After the huge wave of emigration, our people – or rather those that once were defined as a nation, have spread around different areas, some sticking together like us, some wandering alone. But we all are trying to look for something, mostly a way to survive. Maybe, to find a place to belong.” Viktor muttered, “We do what we can to keep going.”

“Like killing those alike me?” Yuuri offered. He was not blaming anyone. These days, no one really had the right.

“As you, we do what we must and what we can.”

Yuuri knew there was a price on his head.

“And still, I’m alive.”

“Best decision I’ve made,” Viktor said lightheartedly, but his eyes were serious. The sun rising painted his almost white hair in warm colors.

“Don’t say that yet,” Yuuri said and turned his head away.

“The best decision I’ve ever made,” Viktor repeated with a steady voice.

It made Yuuri smile slightly, but he tried to not let it show.

Viktor yawned. “I’m exhausted. We should sleep.”

“Now?” Yuuri wondered. “It must be already eight in the morning.”

“We didn’t really sleep last night, and I bet you wouldn’t mind a little rest. No one’s going to judge us even for sleeping the next 24 hours. Well, except Yuri. He definitely would.“

Now that Yuuri thought about it, he felt like his body was ready to give in and just collapse into the nearest corner. He did not want to imagine how it would feel to fall down all the stairs down.  

“We don’t have that many rooms here. The other base was unfortunately the bigger one. Hope you don’t mind sharing.”

Yuuri blinked.

“With who?”

“With me, of course. I wouldn’t let anyone else do it,” Viktor said playfully.

“Cause I’m under the surveillance,” Yuuri guessed.

“Because I wouldn’t let the opportunity slip away.”

“Not that many valentines around hopping into your bed?” Yuuri laughed.

“Oh they wish they had the opportunity,” Viktor grinned.

 “What makes you think that I’m eager to do it?”

Suddenly, there was something vulnerable in Viktor’s smile. “Actually, I was just hoping that you could feel comfortable enough with me, to sleep.”

Yuuri stared at Viktor for a long while, before saying, “If it’s you, I think it’ll be fine.”

And for his own surprise, he actually meant it.

Viktor brushed his silvery hair back and cleared his voice, “Good.”

The windowpane created crossing shadows on Viktor’s face. Yuuri wondered how Viktor saw him right at that moment. He had no idea when was the last time the morning had seemed this promising. He wanted to scold himself for thinking like that, for wanting something more than he was entitled to have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [✿](http://queenoffennoscandia.tumblr.com/)


End file.
